Stethoscope.



O. H. SHEPPARD.

STETHOSCOPE.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.24. 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANoGnAPH co.,wlIsHINGT0N. D. C.

OSBOENE H. S-IEPPAED, GF CEICCTO, ILLINOS.

Be it known that l, @sacara l1. Snerrgrnn, a citi en of the Trlnited States, -d a resident of the cit)r of Chicago, county of Cook, ant State of illinois, have invented certain and useful Improvements in Stethoscoges, of which 'the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in stethoscope-s, and has for its object the provision of an impr 'ed stethoscope by means of uf'hich the sonnes within a human body may be distinctly heard` rllhe invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed. l

rlhe invention Y'ill be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming av part of this specification, and in which,

Figure l is a perspective view of a stethoscope embodying my invention, Fig, 2, a section taken through al modified f rm of air chamber, and Fig. 3, a perspective view of a. metallic mufller plate employed in the construction.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drav-Jiug comprises an ordinary stethoscope air chamber l which may be of any usual or desired form, and is provided with the usual rubber tubes and ear piece 3 for detecting sounds made by the beating of the heart or breathing of the lungs, as will be readily understood. The end of chamber l is closed air-tight by means of an outwardly buiging rubber cap 4 which has elastic edges 5 tightly fitting over the mouth of chamber l. ln order to reinforce cap d and to better maintain the saine in an outwardly bulging condition, a reinforcing piece of rubber 6 is placed over the. outer side of cap Ll and crossed spring wires 7 are arranged between piece 6 and cap 4. A stethoscope constructed, as above, will be found to be very sensitive to the noises which it is desired to hear. ln fact, for some examinations of the heart, the noises heard through the stethoscope will be found too loud for accurate diagnosis. For such cases, l prei-71de a thin metallic l' e t3 urovided with spring clips 9 adaptover the sides of air chamber l hold said plate in close contact with cap. YWith the plate S adjusted in position certain sounds of the heart can be card better, due to trie mufl'ling effect i i rthe form of air chamber l0 illusrated in 2 is slightly different in shape rom air chamber l but otherwise the two onsructions are identical.

lll' have illustrated and described ill nile the preferred forms of construction for carrying my invention into effect, these are capable of variation and modicat-ion without departing from the spirit of the invention. l, therefor-e, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set for h, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

El ving described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A stethoscope comprising an air chamber; an outwardly bulging flexible diaphragm fitted over the inout-h end of said chamber; and reinforcing wires secured to said diaphragm through their length and arranger to hold said cap in outwardly bulging form, substantially as described.

A stethoscope comprising an air chainber; outwardly bulging rubber cap fitted over the mouth end of said chamber; a reinforcing piece secured to the bulging portion of said cap; and reinforcing wires arranged between said piece and said cap to hold said cap in outwardly bulging form, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OSBO/RNE H. SHEPPARD.

l.Vitnesses JOSHUA R. H. Porrs, lininN F. LILLIs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington. D. C. 

